Is handwriting still important? The digital generation skips penmanship

16 April 2013 Last updated at 03:21 BST

As interactive technology becomes ubiquitous around the globe, some experts warn that formal handwriting may soon diminish, rendering the penmanship a relic of the past.

Fears of handwriting's demise prompted North Carolina Congresswoman Pat Hurley to draft a bill, mandating that script be taught in all elementary schools in the state. It passed unanimously in the state House earlier this month.

But Jeffrey Reaser, associate professor of linguistics at North Carolina State University, says a sense of "nostalgia" is not enough reason to force students to learn something that's "not crucial to their education".

Meanwhile, some classrooms in the state have begun teaching students handwriting on iPads and iPods.